New Panasonic batteries 'longest lasting,' says Guinness records

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Panasonic's Evolta batteries are shown after being certified by Guinness World Records as the world's longest-lasting AA alkaline battery cell during a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday. ((Associated Press/Koji Sasahara))

Japan's Panasonic has created the world's longest-lasting alkaline battery, according to Guinness World Records.

Panasonic promises its new Evolta battery cell — whose name is derived from "evolution" and "voltage" — will keep gadgets running 20 per cent longer than offerings from rivals Duracell and Energizer, as well as its own upscale Oxyride batteries.

Guinness certified Evolta in a Tokyo ceremony Tuesday as "the longest-lasting AA alkaline battery cell," based on testing under guidelines set by the industry's International Electrotechnical Commission.

The battery also has a 10-year shelf life, making it suitable to store in preparation for disasters. Other batteries have about five to seven years of shelf life, according to Panasonic officials.

Evolta goes on sale in April in Japan, and is planned for overseas markets later this year, according to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., which makes Panasonic brand products.

The batteries will cost about $5.40 US for a pack of four in Japan, or about 15 per cent higher than regular batteries and three per cent higher than Oxyride. Prices in the U.S. and elsewhere aren't yet decided.

Matsushita, set to become Panasonic Corp. in October, plans a major marketing drive for Evolta. It still has a minimal share of the U.S. market in batteries, and hopes to raise that with Evolta. Matsushita has sold 700 million Oxyride batteries worldwide so far.